From the Democratic Party of Virginia:
Cranwell: “Bob McDonnell should do his homework”
Yesterday in an interview on WTOP’s “Ask the Governor,” Bob McDonnell indicated that he didn’t know much about the man who he tapped to chair his newly formed Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring.
When asked by Mark Plotkin about Malek’s controversial past, Governor McDonnell claimed “I didn’t know about his background,” which includes a $100,000 personal fine from the Securities and Exchange Commission for efforts by his company, Thayer Capital Partners, to defraud the State of Connecticut’s Pension Fund. McDonnell went on to defend Malek, claiming he is the “kind of people I want.”
“I’m shocked about two things,” said C. Richard Cranwell, Chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia. “One, the governor has no vetting process for critical appointments and two, the Governor is so cavalier about Malek’s past”
Governor McDonnell’s statement that business leaders “often” have regulatory violations like this is perhaps the most troubling. “The fact that our Governor is unconcerned by Fred Malek’s involvement in a scandal that jeopardized state employees’ retirement funds is alarming,” said Cranwell. “To have someone with this type of history undertake a massive restructuring and reforming initiative of state government borders on insulting to the people of Virginia.”
Cranwell continued, “I don’t know which is worse, knowing about Malek’s past and appointing him to this position anyway, or not taking the time to investigate someone you are appointing to such an important position. If it were me, I’d have done my homework.”
By the way, there is no good reason for a Democrat to be on Malek’s commission. Frankly, right now, Democrats on that commission are simply being used as cover for McDonnell and Malek. That needs to stop.
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